President Donald Trump shifted toward a more conciliatory approach with Minnesota’s Democratic leaders on Monday, a sudden reversal that followed a federal agent’s fatal shooting of a nurse during immigration enforcement operations. The Saturday death of Alex Pretti, a nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis, sparked outcry from across the political spectrum, including from some Republicans questioning the administration’s aggressive tactics.
The reversal illustrates Trump’s pattern of initially pursuing hardline positions, then retreating under political pressure—a dynamic that has played out repeatedly this month over immigration enforcement, threats toward Iran, and trade policy.
Trump said he and Governor Tim Walz were now on a “similar wavelength” after the two spoke Monday. The shift marked a sharp turnabout from Trump’s recent personal attacks on Walz, whom the White House had derided on social media as “a truly disturbed, unstable individual” and an “unhinged lunatic” just a day earlier.
Trump appointed border czar Tom Homan to take direct charge of the Minnesota immigration operation. Senior Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino and other agents were expected to leave Minneapolis as early as Tuesday, according to reporting on Monday.
Pattern of reversal
Trump’s shift on Minnesota mirrors his handling of other issues this month. Earlier, Trump threatened Iran with military action if the Islamic Republic used deadly force to suppress antigovernment protests. He later held off on acting after receiving assurances that Iran would suspend hundreds of planned executions.
Last week, Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on European allies who refused to support U.S. control of Greenland. He abruptly canceled those tariffs after claiming to have reached agreement on a “framework”—though the White House offered few details. Trump announced the agreement the day after the stock market saw one of its worst days in months in response to the tariff threat.
Republican criticism emerges
Some Republicans took issue with federal tactics in Minneapolis. Minnesota GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel announced Monday that he was ending his campaign, calling the immigration enforcement operation an “unmitigated disaster” and saying he no longer wanted to be a member of the Republican Party because of it.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a strong Trump supporter on immigration, offered measured criticism, saying the White House needs to “recalibrate” its approach in Minnesota. Vermont Governor Phil Scott called on Trump to reset and de-escalate.
“At best, these federal immigration operations are a complete failure of coordination of acceptable public safety and law enforcement practices training, and leadership,” Scott said. “At worst, it’s a deliberate federal intimidation and incitement of American citizens that’s resulting in the murder of Americans.”
Prior harsh rhetoric
The White House’s about-face was striking given its initial rhetoric. Stephen Miller, the president’s deputy chief of staff, had referred to Pretti as a “would-be assassin” on social media. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had labeled him as committing an act of domestic terrorism.
Videos of the encounter contradicted the White House’s narrative, according to reporting on the incident.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that “nobody here at the White House, including the president of the United States, wants to see Americans hurt or killed and losing their lives.” Yet even as Trump appeared to be turning down the rhetoric, Leavitt continued to blame Walz and other Minnesota Democrats for encouraging “left-wing agitators” to obstruct federal officers.
Contrast with Trump’s other responses
Trump’s response to Pretti’s death has been much more muted than his responses to other deaths he has portrayed as targeting his own political movement.
After conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, Trump spoke to the nation from the Oval Office and called the death “a dark moment for America.” In November, Trump gave a national address after two National Guard members were shot in Washington by an Afghan national, one fatally. The president called that shooting “an act of evil, an act of hatred and an act of terror.”
Trump has not yet spoken directly to the nation about the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good, another U.S. citizen killed by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this month. He has largely kept the public informed through social media posts.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed Monday that some federal agents would be leaving the city after speaking with Trump, suggesting that the president was coming to the conclusion that the current level of federal operations was unsustainable.